THE NINTENDO Switch games list may be small now but is set to boast a lot more third-party support than the Wii U ever did, a fact that will help when matched against the PS4 and Xbox One.

The Nintendo Switch games list has been backed to overshadow its predecessor, the Wii U

UPDATE ONE: The Nintendo Switch games list has been backed to overshadow the Wii U in terms of third-party support, with Christian Svensson, Chief Operating Officer for Sixfoot, explaining why developers hadn't gone down the Wii route and focused on more hybrid-designed games.

"I think it's still early. That's the big thing I would say. … The other part of this is the nature of ports depends on how ambitious you're gonna be," Svensson told Polygon.

"The minute you start adding new inputs, you've almost changed what the game is … and the design has to change for it not to be a bolted-on gimmick. … You know, we gave some thought to, could we make any use of the touch-screen elements [on Rime].

"But we backed off of that in the end. We felt it would be a little too forced for what the game was, and instead we opted more for a straightforward play."

NINTENDO

The Nintendo Switch games list should be boosted greatly by the compatibility

ORIGINAL: While there are plenty of indie titles planned for launch as part of the Nintendo Switch games list, you can understand fan worry over the third-party situation.

The Wii U suffered greatly from being tossed aside by independent developers early, while low sales also helped to compound the problem.

Now the Nintendo Switch has been released, all eyes are on how well it will perform among developers.

So far, it appears that many are impressed by the console’s accessibility and improved hardware over the Wii U, something that apparently held it back.

Christian Svensson, Chief Operating Officer for Sixfoot who are publishing Rime on the Nintendo Switch, revealed his thoughts on the situation.

Speaking to Polygon, Svensson commented on why the Nintendo Switch is set to receive a lot more third-party support in the future, explaining: “Our reasons for [porting Rime] were we wanted to reach a broad audience, and it’s the type of game that feels like it belongs on a Nintendo platform.

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“I don’t know that you could say that for every game out there. Everyone’s gotta have their own reasons for porting. From a technical perspective, the amount of work is not trivial. There are definitely easier platforms to get to. Without getting into details, a lot of it has to do with RAM limitations relative to the PS4 and Xbox One, as an example.

“So it’s a trickier — even notwithstanding processing differentials between those platforms. As far as why more people are doing it, here’s an obvious one: better support for certain engines.

“Obviously Unreal never existed on Wii U or 3DS, and it exists — or will more properly exist eventually — on Switch. … That’s a huge thing.

“I think there are certain tools that exist on Switch, for performance and optimization, that never existed on Nintendo platforms before. It’s a huge step forward on those fronts.

“So maybe that’s what’s giving developers a little more confidence to say, “You know what? We can figure this out. We’re not sort of feeling our way through the dark.”

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The Nintendo Switch was never going to be the leading light in outside development and there looks to be plenty of titles that will pass it by.

Overwatch and Destiny 2 both look like they’re out the picture for now but many will be looking to the Nintendo Switch not just for its parity with other platforms, but more for its hybrid design.

“The Wii U audience never hit the broad market that, for example, the Wii did. And I think that the Switch has the ability to recapture some of the Wii magic in a couple of different ways,” Svensson added.

“But a lot of it has to do with the fact that it’s a 2-in-1 system. The fact that it is trying to be a portable and a home console all in one package — first of all, it’s an easy sell from a value for money family purchase standpoint.

“You know, I just think that if you looked at it only as a portable system, it’s probably the best portable that has ever been.

“And if you look at it as a home system, it’s capable, is probably the best way I’d put it. In that regard, I think the adoption is going to be broader than the Wii U was.”